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Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata is a Mexican folk hero, revolutionary and politician who serves as leader of the Radical Socialist National Agrarian Party and President of Mexico. Zapata formed and commanded the Liberation Army of the South during the Mexican Revolution. He was elected President in the 1932 Mexican Election, with a campaign largely focusing on land reform and the widespread introduction of communal farms called ''Ejidos. '' History Early Life Emiliano Zapata was born on 8 August 1879 in Anencuilco to Gabriel Zapata and Cleofas Jertrudiz Salazar, members of a respected local family. Zapata's father died when he was 17, and he had to care for the family from that age. He worked several jobs in his youth, including farming, horse training and owning a mule team. He was forcibly conscripted in 1892 after protesting against land seizure in his village by a local ''hacienda ''(estate). In 1909 he was chosen as the village council board president in his home village of Anencuilco. Zapata became well known for his opposition to President Porfirio Diaz and the landowning ''haciendas. '' Mexican Revolution In 1910 the rule of President Porfirio Diaz -who had ruled Mexico continuously from 1876 - was threatened for the first time in the 1910 elections by Francisco I. Madero. To prevent Madero from winning the presidency, Diaz had him imprisoned, though Madero escaped. After Diaz was declared victor by a 'landslide' through clear election fixing, Madero declared the Diaz presidency illegal and called for widespread revolt. Although largely similar in ideology to Diaz, Madero promised limited land reform and aid for disadvantaged Mexicans. Zapata was heavily involved in - and later the undisputed leader of - the revolutionary 'Army of the South' during this revolution. He formed a tentative alliance with Madero against Diaz, seeing Madero as preferable to Diaz, and the most likely way to implement land reform in Mexico. However, after Madero's victory and seizing of power, he betrayed Zapata and declared the Army of the South to be a bandit force. After this betrayal, Zapata abandoned the idea of compromise with reactionaries, and instead began to promulgate his radical 'Plan de Ayala', which called for drastic land reforms and the redistribution of land to peasants. In response, Madero sent his army south to fight against Zapata's forces, enacting a brutal 'scorched earth' policy, burning many villages and having their inhabitants relocated to labour camps further South. Madero would continue to fight against Zapata until he himself was ousted by the conservative forces of Victor Huerta in a coup in February, 1913. Huerta would continue Madero's war against Zapata until his ousting in 1914 by a coalition of regional revolutionary forces in the north including those of Francisco 'Pancho' Villa, as well as Zapata's army of the south. Following Huerta's toppling, one of the leaders of the revolutionary coalition, Venustiano Carranza, declared himself leader and President of Mexico. Zapata refused to recognise his authority or collaborate with him, sticking to his radical Plan de Ayala. Despite helping him topple Huerta, Villa joined Zapata in revolution against Carranza. Zapata and Villa were decisively defeated at the Battle of Celaya in April 1915, cementing Carranza as President and allowing a new constitution. Despite his defeat, Zapata would continue to fight, successfully engaging in guerrilla warfare against Carranza's forces in the South. Colonel Jesus Guajardo was tasked with killing, Zapata, but due to disagreements in the various Carrancista factions, Zapata daringly offered Guajardo the opportunity to switch sides. Guajardo agreed, and his forces defected, giving Zapata a great deal of weapons, supplies and manpower to fight the government with. End of the Revolution Following General Alfonso De La Huerta's 1920 coup against Carranza, Zapata took advantage of the situation moved to seize important cities while the military was occupied with the insurrection. His forces quickly destroyed the little resistance offered, and captured several important cities, including Mexico City. Rather than launch a military campaign against Zapata, Obregon and De La Huerta the three diplomatically agreed to form a government, finally bringing an end to the 10 year Mexican Revolution. Obregon became the President of Mexico, while Zapata was given the position of Minister of Finance in order to carry out his planned land reform project. While Minister of Finance, Zapata initiated the ''Ejido ''system of communal land ownership, redistributing 45 million acres of arable land to the peasantry. Zapata would continue his work under the presidencies of De La Huerta (from 1923) and Jesus Guajardo (from 1928). Zapata himself would be elected to take office as President in 1932. President of Mexico Zapata became president in 1932. His presidency is notable for its even greater investment in agriculture and developing the ''ejidos. ''He appointed Pancho Villa as his Foreign Minister, despite their disagreements. As he approaches the end of his term, Zapata supports Pancho Villa as his successor for Presidency. Personal Life Emiliano Zapata was born to Gabriel Zapata and Cleofas Jertrudiz Salazar in Anenecuilco, Morelos. Emiliano was the ninth of ten children. His family, who were farmers, was well known and respected in the local community, and were Mestizos of mixed Nahua and Spanish ancestry. His upbringing in a farming family, in a farming community gave him insight into the struggles faced my common Mexican farmers, largely due to his village's long struggle to regain land seized by ''haciendas. '' See also Mexico Category:Work in Progress Articles Category:North Americans Category:People